XVI. CONFESSIONS OF FAITH. IT has been observed invidiously of the Reminiscent, that, in all his publications, whatever may have been the subject of them, he has always had in view the interest of the catholic cause. He pleads-sans phrases,-guilty to the charge; -he unequivocally admits that some of his works were written with no other view; and that in all, he kept his attention directed towards this object, so far, that he never omitted to avail himself of any opportunity which his subject afforded, either of bringing forward a topic that redounded to the honour of the catholic church, or of defending her against charges, which he thought unfounded or exaggerated. In fact, the restoration of the roman-catholic portion of his majesty's subjects to their legitimate rank in the community,—or, in other words, to an equal participation, with their fellow subjects, in the blessings of the constitution, has been the great object of his life. During forty years, he has pursued it openly, and he thinks he may say honourably. In this pursuit, he has avoided every thing that savoured of personal hostility. Claiming for himself the merit of conviction and sincerity, he has ever been ready to acknowledge the equal conviction and sincerity of others. With the view, which he has mentioned, he published his "Historical and Literary Account of the "Formularies or Confessions of Faith, or symbolic "Books of the Roman-catholic, Greek, and principal Protestant Churches." 8vo. Various circumstances rendered it of importance to the Reminiscent, to obtain an accurate notion of the creeds of the principal churches, which, during the century that followed the reformation, separated themselves from the church of Rome. The continent abounds with works, of every size, which contain historical documents of this description; but the writer is not aware that such a work has yet appeared in England. Whether his own attempt be successfully executed the readers of it must determine. He believes it to be written with moderation, and that it was preceded by adequate researches. He added to it "Four Dissertations;" a short mention of them now follows. XVII. HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE MONASTIC ORDERS OF THE CHURCH OF ROME. THIS was the title and subject of the first of the four dissertations, which the Reminiscent annexed to his "Confessions of Faith." In his early years, he had seen much of religious orders, and felt for them a respect which never quitted him. Speaking generally, the lives of all the members of them were blameless; and it is universally allowed that among them many were eminently useful. Had the Reminiscent been indulged in an inclination early conceived and long persisted in, he himself might, perhaps, have been aggregated to one of them: it is difficult for a person, who has inclinations towards piety and study, to behold, indifferent and unmoved, establishments so excellently calculated for both. The Reminiscent has mentioned in several parts of his Historical Memoirs, the services which they rendered to religion, literature, and society in general, during the middle ages. These, since the revival of letters, have been equally edifying: to use the strong expression of Mr. Gibbon, the shelves of our libraries groan under the labour of the benedictine monks. In the same work, and in another, afterwards noticed in these pages, he has given some account of the Society of Jesus. It has been said that he has painted them en beau-Be it so, still, as they have been so often painted en noir, to exhibit for once the fair side of their character was but an act of justice. But the Reminiscent is not sensible that he has exaggerated their praise: most certainly what he said was dictated neither by partiality or interest. No one can be more independent of the order, less connected with it or its members, or have fewer calls to advocate their cause: but, "Pleased to spread friendships and to cover heats." Pope. he had great pleasure in writing their eulogy.-In the execution of the task it was a great satisfaction to him to pay a tribute to the memory of sir Alexander Strachan, a distinguished member of the order, -the friend, the instructor of his youth, and never out of his remembrance. Surely no one, who professes to be a friend of religious liberty, can, consistently with his professed principles, persecute the jesuits, or interfere with their religious observances. But real and enlightened friends, either of civil or of religious liberty, are not so common, as the general profession of friendship to both would render probable. This Mr. Fox observed to the Reminiscent; "but," he you may always depend on Fitzwilliam and 66 said, The true spirit of civil and religious liberty is expressed at the end of the address of the English catholics in 1817.-" We have solemnly protested," they say, "and we again solemnly protest against "all intemperate language, all rancorous and illi"beral invective, all harsh and insulting expressions. |